Madonna Pays David Bowie Tribute At Gig

Madonna saluted her childhood hero David Bowie by performing a version of his song Rebel Rebel during her concert on Tuesday.

The iconic rocker has been mourned by fans around the globe since he died on Sunday, two days after his 69th birthday, following an 18-month battle with cancer.

The Material Girl singer was one of many celebrities who took to social media to mourn the star, and she paid tribute during her Rebel Heart Tour stop in Houston, Texas.

"I want to pay tribute to a man who inspired my career," she told the audience. "If you haven't heard of David Bowie, look him up motherf***ers... He was one of the geniuses in the music industry, one of the greatest singer-songwriters of the 20th century and he changed my life when I went to see him in concert in Detroit.

"He showed me that it was okay to be different. And he's the first rebel heart that I laid eyes on... so, I don't know, I think we should just get this party started! I hope you know the song."

She danced around the stage as she sung Rebel Rebel while images of Bowie flicked up on the arena's screens with the word 'Rebel'.

At the end of the performance, Madonna laid flat on the stage floor face down.

Madonna shared pictures from the show on Twitter and wrote in the caption, "Paying Tribute to My Favorite Rebel In Houston?? Thank you!..........David Bowie."

She has previously praised Bowie for inspiring her career when she went to one of his shows in Detroit, Michigan aged 15.

When she accepted Bowie's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame award on his behalf in 1996, she told the audience,

"Before I saw David Bowie live, I was your normal dysfunctional rebellious teenager from the Mid-West and he has truly changed my life. I've always had a sentimental attachment to him... not just because I grew up with his music but because it's the first rock concert that I ever saw and it was a major event in my life... I came home a changed woman... so I would just like to thank David Bowie wherever you are for inspiring me."